


Dreams of Butterflies

by Masterelite120



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-21
Updated: 2017-07-26
Packaged: 2018-12-04 21:57:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11564136
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Masterelite120/pseuds/Masterelite120
Summary: Samarth "Sam" Katsukawa was never the typical teenager. Haunted by his past, he was always told to move through life with his head down and distance himself from those around him. After a series of unforeseen events, Sam is forced to transfer to Shujin Academy, where he believes that his third and final year of high school will pass quickly and without disturbance if he follows the advice the adults around him always gave him. However, his plan quickly goes awry as he is thrown into a life he never knew he wanted and meets a girl he never thought he could confide in.





	1. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone.
> 
> This is my first fanfiction. I am basing this work off of the main storyline of Persona 5, so there will obviously be spoilers. You have been warned. I will write more chapters as I go but am unsure if I will be able to stick to a schedule. Please feel free to leave suggestions as I'm always looking to improve. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy what I have in store for the future.

****

** Prologue **

__

**??/??/20XX**

Everything was going according to plan. Or at least they hoped it was.

The pounding of footsteps echoed throughout the ominous pitch-black corridor, the ringing of alarm bells drowning out the sound of their movements. The team was making their grand escape from the ill-fated casino. However, they had not expected the entire police force of the Tokyo precinct to have been waiting for them at the entrance.

How fitting for an organized group of thieves.

Maybe they SHOULD have expected it. After all, they did hold the #1 spot on the wanted list of the authorities. Whoever got the bragging rights of arresting the Phantom Thieves of Hearts would surely become the most powerful force in Japan.

Rook withheld some doubt on whether this would actually work, but he had to believe. The team’s morale was already high enough, and he didn’t want to hamper their resolve in any way, shape, or form. He was getting slightly annoyed by the lack of adequate lighting, which was likely caused by the intruders awaiting them outside to slow the group down and increase the possibility of their capture.

“Oracle, isn’t there a way to bring the power back online?” He yelled to a short girl wearing a ridiculous binocular-like mask.

“They’ve restricted remote access to the main console. There’s nothing I can do, even with the best of my abilities.” She replied, nearly gasping for breath while doing so.

“Don’t over-exert yourself Oracle. Our top priority at the moment is getting out of here in one piece.” An older girl shouted, her coal-black scarf – which was multiple sizes too big for her - drifting behind her as she ran.

“How’s our decoy doing?” A tall boy with a crimson mask queried as the party reached an intersection and made a sharp right towards a staircase heading downward.

Oracle nodded and pulled up a holographic live-feed showcasing the commotion in the main hall of the casino from the decoy’s point of view. The team temporarily halted their getaway to marvel at the scene unfolding before them.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The black silhouette of a young man could be seen gliding across the ceiling of the casino, soaring from platform to platform.

“Th-There’s something here!” An alarmed man exclaimed with his mouth agape, frowning at the chandeliers and lights hoisted above the crowd. 

He was pushed out of the way by a man wearing a matching black sunglasses and suit, his two associates, who were dressed in a similar fashion, walking behind him. They spotted the silhouette resting atop a bright neon light sign that read “WINNER TAKES ALL” with his back turned towards them. Slowly, the silhouette turned around and stood to face them, a smug look spread across his face. He held a silver briefcase tucked between his chest and left arm. An avian-themed mask protruded from his face and beckoned the men-in-black to try their luck and apprehend him. A full moon shone through the skylight above him, bathing the grandiose thief in moonlight.

“He’s here. Move in immediately.” One of the men, clearly the leader, spoke into his radio as they moved forward towards the emergency exit staircase.

The dapper young man gazed at the muddled heap of men and women below him with a smirk before jumping towards a hexagonal platform.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They were impressed. Shocked at how calm the decoy was being based on their current predicament, but nonetheless impressed. The group was thrust back into reality by the ringing of the decoy’s voice through the comms.

“Okay, the briefcase is at the selected drop-off point. I’ll see what I can do to get our little friends here off our tail.”

Mona was the first to react. “Good, now get running!” He commanded.

“This is our only chance!”

“Stay calm, you can get away now!”

“We’ll retrieve the briefcase on our end.”

The barking of orders from the rest of the group to the decoy was interrupted by an incoming  
transmission from an unknown contact.

“Suspects…not…confirmed……hold…your…positions…”

“Hm? What was that?” Oracle questioned.

“Don’t worry about us. Just concentrate on getting away!” Mona snapped.

Rook beckoned the rest of his team with his gloved hand, which glowed a bright orange amongst the gloom engulfing them.“We should split up. One group retrieves the briefcase, the other secures the exit.”

“In that case, how ‘bout me, Queen, Oracle, Noir, and Panther go for the briefcase, and the rest of y’all continue on?” Skull asked while fidgeting with his scarlet ascot. “That should leave Rook, Crow, Fox, and Mona to secure the exit route for us.”

“Sounds like a plan to me! Let’s go guys!” Panther squealed with a faint hint of seriousness.

Rook shot a worried look to Queen. “Will you be alright?” He asked.

She gave a small nod in response, a reassuring smile on her face. “We’ll be fine. Worry about yourself first.”

Oracle suddenly perked up, interrupting the heart-to-heart. “Shit! There’s more of them nearing Joker’s position. Just RUN! Get out of there!” She cried into her microphone as she started to panic.

“He’s playing his part perfectly. The enemy’s focus is on him, so it looks like the rest of us can slip away. We can’t let his efforts go to waste. Let’s go everyone!” Mona shouted.  
The team acknowledged him in unison.

~~~

The group assigned to secure the exit rounded the corner and sprinted towards a terrace overlooking a plaza. The four boys grunted in annoyance at the sight of multiple riot control officers stationed beneath them, blocking their path to the exit.

“How are we supposed to get past them?” Fox huffed.

“We’ll have to engage in combat. This route is our only means of escaping.” Mona replied.

“How are we supposed to defeat them? They have guns! We wouldn’t last a minute against them. Besides, we’re outnumbered to begin with!” Crow interrupted with apparent shock in his voice.

Mona sighed. “This isn’t reality, remember? If we can catch them by surprise, they’ll lose their physical form and transmute into shadows. In that state, they shouldn’t be a problem for us.”

Rook nodded, turning his attention towards the guards below them. “Now, how do we get down there without being noticed?”

Fox pointed towards an open ventilation shaft, the smashed grate lying beside it. “This should do, yes?”

~~~

A female voice through their comms broke the silence. “Everyone remember where we’re meeting up?”

“No worries. I can guide you all.” a girl’s voice answered. “Everyone, head to positions. Use Route B!”

“Uh, ‘Route B’ isn’t exactly secure yet. We’re working on it.” Rook anxiously whispered through the comms, peering at the heavily-armed soldiers standing guard from behind one of the various marble pillars stationed throughout the open space. A lone chandelier hung above the center, radiating light throughout the room. Spotting a pair of guards approaching his position, he swiftly realigned his body so that he was enveloped in the pillar’s shadow. The two soldiers marched past him towards a pair of elevator doors, unaware that their high-priority target lay in the shadows before them.

“No sir, there’s been no sign of the remaining Phantom Thieves. Division A has been tracking the main target throughout the staff passageways.” There was a slight pause. “Of course sir, we’ll move in immediately.” Rook lost sight of them as the elevator doors closed shut.

“Perfect. Mona’s training has definitely paid off.” He muttered under his breath with a tone bordering arrogance. He turned his attention to the center of the plaza, observing the pair of revolving doors at the other end. All that stood between the team and their escape were four rotten cops. His raven cape dragged across the polished granite floor as he slinked from behind the pillar to the corner of an obsidian structure, placing himself behind one of the unknowing officers.

“Is everyone in position?” Fox’s voice cut through the static of the comms.

“Ready as I’ll ever be.” Rook mumbled, making sure to avoid prematurely alerting their target.  
“We’ve got one shot at this. Let’s not screw this up.” Mona uttered.

“You can count on me. Just give the signal when you are ready, Mona.” Crow replied. Rook braced himself for the upcoming engagement.

“OK, on three. One…two…three!” Mona exclaimed.

The four teenage boys pounced from behind their respective hiding places onto the unaware sentries. Rook wrapped his left arm around the guard’s neck, whose face had begun to transmute into that of a heart-shaped mask. He grabbed the guard’s mask with his right hand and, using all of his strength, ripped it off. A mixture of red and black liquid spewed from the guard’s face as he cried in agony.

“Show me who you really are!” He roared as he snatched the soldier’s riot shield and swung it into the soldier’s chest, propelling him backwards. Rook glanced upward to see that the other guards had been disarmed as well, and that a heap of bodies now lay before them. They rose one by one, twitching and growling intensively as they each erupted into a mass of red and black sludge. The pile of viscous liquid began to swirl together before manifesting into a gargantuan elephant-like creature wielding a curved sword. It bellowed with rage as it prepared to attack.

Fox looked slightly annoyed. “This shadow again? Let us defeat it quickly.”

Rook had begun to unsheathe his serrated sword as he heard a familiar voice above him.

“Don’t bother! Physical attacks won’t do much good to this one!”  
Rook glanced upward at the terrace and grinned when he saw Queen, holding the briefcase, with the others standing next to her.

“Guns should work though!” Oracle chimed in.

Rook’s grin turned into smirk as he returned his attention to the shadow, raising his DMR at the shadow. Suddenly, it lifted its sword and charged towards him, bringing it down in his direction. Rook hastily raised the riot shield over himself in defense as the sword made contact, cracking the glass and pushing him to the ground.

“Rook!” Queen screamed.

“Don’t worry, I’m fine!” He grunted as he tossed aside the smashed riot shield. He winced in pain, clutching his left arm. The shadow advanced towards him, ready to deliver the finishing blow. Rook mustered all of his strength and aimed his wobbly gun at the brute with his right hand. However, its stride was quickly interrupted by the sound of gunfire reverberating throughout the plaza. Bullets whizzed past, most of them piercing the shadow’s skin. It cried in agony as the remaining Phantom Thieves unloaded their ammunition into the enemy, crimson liquid gushing out of its lacerations. The Thieves ceased fire as the shadow fell to its knees and succumbed to its wounds, howling as it disintegrated into thin air.

Queen holstered her revolver and hopped the barrier of the terrace, falling to the ground-level, the others not far behind. She rushed towards Rook, hoisting his body as she wrapped his sprained arm around the back of her neck. He was about to protest but decided to leave it be.

“The gunfire must have attracted a lot of attention. We need to leave, now!” Crow announced.

The team nodded and ran towards the revolving doors, practically pushing past each other as they escaped into the darkness of the night. Rook took in a deep breath of fresh air as they made their way outside the casino, the street before them illuminated only by moonlight. Sirens wailed in the distance and the voices of grown men could be heard getting closer to their position.

“There’s an alleyway near here. We should be able to get out from there!” Oracle said.  
They retreated into the safety of a pitch-black alley a few blocks from the casino, stopping to catch their breath.

“Is everyone alright?” Noir questioned with an anxious tone.

The Phantom Thieves glanced at each other and nodded, each of them panting. Queen released her grasp of Rook and leaned against the brick wall, wiping sweat from her brow. Suddenly, she felt Rook wrap his hand around her shoulder and pull her closer to him. She looked up at him in surprise, stumbling for words.

“I’m glad you’re okay.” He whispered with a gentle smile on his face.

“I…I should be the one saying that.” She replied, her cheeks developing a reddish hue. She gazed down at the pavement. “How’s your arm?”

“I’ll survive.” He answered cheekily, attempting to mask the pain as he strained his sprained arm.

“You really are something else.” She retorted, closing her eyes with an audible sigh of relief.

Their conversation was interrupted by a loud gasp. Everyone turned to look at the source of the sound.

“A-An ambush?!” Oracle looked as if she was about to break down into tears. “Guys…Joker’s been cornered…”

“What?!” Skull exclaimed.

“Joker, can you handle it?” Mona asked.

“Joker!” Panther cried.

“Oh no!” Noir muttered as she clasped her hands around her mouth.

Oracle rerouted everyone’s communication devices so that they could hear through Joker’s earpiece.

“Capture him!” An authoritative voice yelled as the clamoring of male voices could be heard growing louder.

Joker’s rushed breathing could faintly be heard as he attempted to escape his assailants by climbing a fire escape ladder. He yelped in pain as something slammed into his face and knocked him back to the ground, sending momentary static throughout everyone’s headsets. The tumult of voices around him grew louder until they were right on top of him.

“Suspect secure!” Shouted a male voice.

The rest of the Phantom Thieves looked at each other in disbelief, not saying a word. The assortment of voices on Joker’s end slowly quieted down until a single one spoke.

“Huh. Didn’t expect to find some kid.” He said in a clearly amused voice as Joker could be heard groaning in pain. The next words the man spoke sent a shockwave of fear throughout the Phantom Thieves of Hearts, crippling their resolve instantaneously.

“You have your teammate to thank for this. You were sold out.”


	2. Prognosis

** Chapter 1: **

**Prognosis**

**April 8th, 20XX**

__  
  
_Early Morning_  
  


“Have you been taking your prescription?”

The plasterboard walls of the office were decorated with antique portraits and artifacts, one of which included a grandfather clock placed next to the entrance door. Exquisite urns adorned with mythological Japanese figures sat atop the bookshelf behind the desk. A Persian rug with frayed edges lay across the hardwood flooring. A glass table in the center of room held a vase filled with the bright pink flowers of a cherry blossom.

“ _It is spring, so these flowers must have been recently arranged…_ ” He mused to himself.

“Sam-kun? Did you hear what I just said?”

“Hm?” Sam jolted his gaze from the table to the middle-aged woman that sat before him. “Oh, sorry, I must have been zoning out again…yes, I have been.” He sighed as he leaned back in the leather armchair.

She chuckled. “Don’t worry about it. Now that you’re here, shall we continue the appointment?” The woman asked jokingly as she put on her reading glasses.

“Sure.” He responded with a vacant smile.

She raised the clipboard close to her face, reading over his medical files. “Hmm…everything else seems to check out. No signs of issues with any major body systems, your height and weight are in the healthy range for an average boy of your age, and your vaccinations seem to be up to date.” She commented, stopping to consider her next set of words. “So, I take it they’ve been increasing in intensity lately?”

“That’s right.” Sam replied.

The woman gazed at him for a few seconds, wrapping her hand around her chin as she sunk into deep thought. “I see. Have there been any major changes in your life recently? Anything with friends, or school perhaps?”

Sam deliberately exhaled, knowing this question would come up eventually. “I…” He opened his mouth to speak but felt no words come out. “There’s no better way to say this.” He concluded. “I got expelled from my school.” He finally said nervously while fidgeting with the drawstrings of his scarlet hoodie.

“Is that so?” She remarked, an obvious surprised look spread across her face. “What for?”

He pondered carefully on his next choice of words. “I assaulted a male student who was harassing a female student.” He explained. “Turns out that same male student came from a reputable family with ties to the National Diet, and they were planning to press charges against me. However, my mother was able to an agreement with his family, who were, surprisingly,” Sam waved his hands flippantly as he said this, “very particular about their social image. If they didn’t press charges against me, I would be expelled from the school and never speak about the matter again, especially to the media.” 

“I see. So I take it you chose to go with it?” She asked.

“Obviously. Luckily, I’ve been arranged to go to a school near here for my last year of high school. Shujin Academy.”

The woman seated before him leaned forward in astonishment. “Shujin? But that’s supposed to be a prestigious preparatory school. Only those wealthy enough or with substantial talent are admitted there. How would they benefit from having someone like you?” the woman questioned.

Sam’s body tensed at the off-hand remark. “ _Someone like you? What’s that supposed to mean?_ ” He contemplated. He shook off his meandering thoughts and maintained his composure. “Actually, they were specifically interested in my talents in drama.”

“Ah yes, now I remember you telling me that some time before. Actually, my son is enrolled in Shujin as well. He’s the star of their track team. Or, at least he used to be.” She spoke in a disheartened tone. 

“Used to be?” Sam questioned as he noticed her getting uncomfortable. 

The woman shifted in her seat, trying to change the subject. “Anyways, I imagine that was the only reason they accepted you. I am in no position to question the basis of their decision, after all. Let’s continue. How about...new relationships? A girl caught your eye possibly?”

He scowled at the particular inquiry. “You know, sometimes you REALLY sound like a prosecutor.” he asserted, getting slightly irritated at her barrage of questions.

The psychiatrist chuckled at his apparent annoyance. “I see I’ve hit a sore spot. I’ll take that as my cue to stop for today. Let’s see…absent-minded, irritable, anxious…” Her voice trailed on as she wrote on her clipboard. 

Sam rolled his eyes at her implications. He rested his head on his hand as he impatiently waited for her to finish writing.

“It’s my job to ask you personal questions, by the way. I need to figure out how you are feeling and what could be causing your anxiety, so that I can provide possible remedies to lessen its control over your daily activities. That sarcastic attitude of yours doesn’t make my job any easier.” 

Sam couldn’t help but feel a little guilty after hearing that. “Yeah, you’re right...sorry.” He apologized.

“It’s fine.” She smiled at him and adjusted her glasses. “Alright, it looks like you’ll need some stronger medicine to treat your anxiety, as you aren’t showing many signs of improvement with your current prescription.” She declared, pulling out a small yellow slip of paper from her desk drawer. “There’s a physician over in Yongen-Jaya, Dr. Takemi,” she continued while scribbling on the paper. “She should have the medicine you need.” The psychiatrist held out the slip of paper towards Sam, who got up from his seat and reached across to grab it.

“Other than that, just be mindful of your diet and exercise, and don’t hesitate to contact me if there is an emergency.” 

“Will do. Thank you, Sakamoto-san.” He thanked her as he got up to leave.

“Samarth.” 

The mention of Sam’s full name by the voice behind the desk caused him to spin around to face its source. 

“Take care of yourself.” She spoke gently with a motherly smile on her face.

“I will.” He replied as he opened the door to her office.

_ Afternoon _

“Yongen-Jaya station. This is Yongen-Jaya station.”

Sam was greeted by the ever-present mechanical voice of a man echoing throughout the subway station as the doors to the train opened. He squeezed his way through the bustle of people both exiting and entering the already-cramped train car. This wasn’t anything out of the ordinary though, especially in a crowded city like Tokyo. Hell, you would be lucky just to be able to get a seat on the train. 

Sam glanced at the yellow slip of paper given to him earlier in the day as he took out his smartphone and opened the Google Maps app. “Let’s see...Takemi Medical Clinic.” He typed into the search bar as a single result popped up on the screen. 

“Beginning navigation to Takemi Medical Clinic in Yongen-Jaya. In four-hundred feet, take a right on…” The voice from his smartphone was temporarily halted as Sam plugged in his headphones, deadening the variety of voices around him as he started to follow the route being generated by the app. 

After walking for several minutes through the backstreets of Yongen-Jaya, Sam reached an intersection in what he believed to be a residential area. The sky, scattered with wispy clouds, was illuminated in a marigold-hue as the sun was in the process of disappearing beneath the horizon. A cool breeze blew past, rattling the bright leaves off of the few cherry blossoms that grew on the side of the road. He stood in place, admiring the serenity springtime brought before his smartphone snapped him out of his reverie.

“You have reached your destination.” It said in monotone as he unplugged his headphones and shoved them into the pocket of his cargo pants, with the medical clinic nowhere in sight. Sam glanced around but all he could see were various second-hand shops and convenience stores clustered around the narrow street.

“Might as well take a look around.” He muttered to himself as he dawdled through the less-crowded streets of Yongen-Jaya searching for the clinic. Besides the quintessential assortment of seniors citizens roaming around, Sam noticed a group of children playing with a ball in the street, as well as a group of adults in work attire drinking cups of coffee and chatting with each other on the sidewalk as they watched the children with pleasure. He drunk in its sweet aroma as he walked past them, awakening his own craving for a homemade cup of joe. 

After wandering around for a few minutes, he finally stumbled upon what he thought to be a doctor’s office in a narrow alleyway near a closed movie theater. It was located in the side of a building, and the sign outside the entrance read, under closer inspection, “Takemi Medical Clinic.” 

“This must be it.” He sighed as he climbed the marble steps and opened the door to the inside of the clinic.

The interior of medical clinic was illuminated by the soft blue-white light emitted from tube lights that hung from the ceiling. An eye test chart was plastered on the wall directly in front of Sam, along with various other medical-related posters. The waiting area consisted solely of a small blue leather couch, making Sam come to the assumption that this place rarely had visitors, if any at all. Pushing his baseless presumptions to the side, he approached the woman sitting at the counter to his left, whose messy dark blue hair and black studded choker would make her stick out like a sore thumb in the typical Tokyo crowd.

He cleared his throat. “I’m guessing you’re Dr. Takemi?” Sam assumed.

The woman glanced upward from her heap of paperwork and tucked her pen into the chest pocket of her white lab coat. “Yes, that would be me.” She replied unfazed.

“My psychiatrist said I could get some medicine here. Here’s the prescription.” He handed the yellow slip of paper towards her.

She took a few seconds to glimpse over it before chuckling as she read the signature. “Dr. Sakamoto, huh?”

Sam cocked his eyebrow. “Something wrong?”

“No, it’s nothing. She and I were good friends in college, but we haven’t been in contact since graduating. I’m surprised she even knew where I worked.” 

“Well, she said that I could get my medication here, so…”

“I can’t say you haven’t come to the right place. There are better places to get drugs from, you know.” Dr. Takemi said jokingly before getting up from her chair and heading to the back of the room to fetch his prescription. 

“Business been slow?” Sam awkwardly questioned as he noticed the silence that had begun to fill the air. 

“That’s how it’s like most the time, being a general practitioner out in the sticks and all. Though I guess I’ll have to personally thank Dr. Sakamoto for changing that today.” She casually replied as she shuffled through the rows of medication lining the shelves. Dr. Takemi finally returned with a plastic bag in her hand, which she placed on the counter.

“Listen, this is a more potent version of the drug you’re looking for. I prepared it myself. The one listed on the prescription rarely does patients with your symptoms any good. Remember to take one pill every night before you go to bed and you should be fine.”

Sam looked at the bag with a wary look. “Is that even legal?”

“What, you don’t trust a doctor?” She smiled at him playfully, gesturing to her framed pH.D certificate on the wall. “I’ll even give it to you for the same price as the one listed on the prescription. Just don’t mention this to anyone else. Consider it my treat.”

Sam sighed. “Very well. I guess the doctor does know best.” He gave in to her coaxing tone. “How much?”

“Good choice.” Dr. Takemi chuckled. “That will be two-thousand yen.”

Sam fished for his wallet in his pant pocket and handed the doctor two one-thousand yen bills, grabbing the plastic bag as he prepared to leave. 

“Take care.” Dr. Takemi intoned as she sat back into her chair and returned to her paperwork.

“Thanks. You too.” He answered.

Sam groaned as his glasses began to fog up from his transition from the cool, air-conditioned interior of the clinic to the sweltering heat outside. He removed his glasses and tucked them onto the neck of his sweatshirt. He peeked into the contents of the plastic bag, observing the bright orange pills that bounced around in the translucent capsule. Sam wondered if Sakamoto-san had purposely referred him to Dr. Takemi due to her custom pharmaceutical drugs as he plugged in his headphones and began to make his way to Yongen-Jaya station.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone, thanks for reading. Thank you all for your continued support. Please do not hesitate to leave a comment down below suggesting what I can improve upon. Thanks!


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